Scrap-metal compressor



Dec. 17, 1968 KUNITOSHI TEZUKA 3,416,436

SCRAP-METAL COMPRESSOR V Filed Sept. 2, 1966 I 5 Sheets-Sheefi 1 IINVENTOR. KUNITOSHI TEZUKA GENT Dec. 17, 1968 KUNITOSHI TEZUKASCRAP-METAL COMPRESSOR SSheets-Shet 2 Filed Sept. 2, 1966 FIG. 2

FIG. 4

FIG 3 mmvrox KUNITOSHI TEZUKA BY 5/6 AGENT United States Patent3,416,436 SCRAP-METAL COMPRESSOR Kunitoshi Tezuka, 34, 7-chome,Minamisuna-machi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Sept. 2, 1966, Ser. No.576,917 Claims priority, application Japan, Mar. 29, 1966, 41/ 18,960 11Claims. (Cl. 100-218) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Scrap-metal compressorfor forming into blocks various iron and metal materials to bere-processed in a furnace, with at least two casings into which thematerials are alternatively introduced, at preparatory positions spacedapart from a central compressing position, compressing means at thelatter position, and track means interconnecting the positions, formoving the casings to and from the compressing position.

The present invention relates to a device for compressing scrap metal ofvarious kinds into blocks or other compact shapes, suitable of beingcharged into melting furnaces for re-processing. More particularly, theinvention relates to a scrap-metal compressor which has movable casingsso as to increase productivity.

Hitherto, various types of devices have been proposed and used for thecompression of metal scraps but almost all of them have such aconstruction as to provide a single compression casing provided withpressing means; in the casing, the successive operations of charging themetal, compressing the same, removing the compressed blocks, and soforth, are carried out. For large-scale and fast operations, aconventional device of this kind would require a complicated mechanismand additional means, which would evidentily make the device expensive.

It is one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide anew scrap-metal compressor which is capable of carrying out the chargingof the scraps into one or more compression casings, the compressionproper, and the removal of the compressed blocks, in a most eflicientand time-consuming manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compressor of this kindwhich is capable of carrying out largescale and continuous operationwith a single compression means and at least two alternately usedmovable compression casings.

A further object relates to the provision of a scrap-metal compressorwhich is capable to press scraps into blocks of large apparent specificgravity, utilizing the compressive force of the device.

The subject matter of the present invention is closely related toapplicants co-pending patent applications, filed on even date with thepresent case, entitled Scrap-Metal Compressor, Ser. No. 576,915, Devicefor Removing Materials from a Compressor, Ser. No. 576,916, RotaryScrap-Metal Compressor, Ser. No. 576,918, and Hoisting Sling HavingFusible Connection and Method for Charging Materials into a Furnace,Ser. No. 576,919. With a view to avoiding details in each of theseapplications which are only of secondary importance, it should beunderstood that the disclosures of the simultaneously filed andco-pending applications are to be considered as complementing eachother, where necessary.

According to important features of the present invention, thescrap-metal compressor comprises a track along which a number ofcompression casings may be moved from respective preparatory positionsto a preferably centrally located compressing position. At the latter,compression means are provided for processing the scrap metal introducedinto the casings.

3,416,436 Patented Dec. 17, 1968 According to further features, eachcompression casing has an open upper end and a bucket verticallyslidable in its interior; appropriate means are provided for elevatingthe buckets at each of the preparatory positions.

In the compressor according to the present invention, satisfactorycompression of scrap metal can be carried out by transferring the filledcasings to the compressing position; after compression, the casing istransferred back to the periphery position whereupon the compressedblocks may be easily removed from said casing.

When charging the casings with scrap metal, it is also possible tointroduce the metal directly from scrap collecting trucks. When theblocks are removed, any type of conventional removing means, like cranesor the like, may be employed. The track connecting the compressingposition with one or more preparatory positions may be extended as faras the charging port of an electric furnace, for immediate reprocessingof the compressed metal blocks. The track may also be extended to theunderside of a crane installation, thereby increasing the efiiciency ofoperation of charging the blocks into the furnace.

The present invention will be better understood, and additionaladvantages thereof will become more apparent, upon perusal of thefollowing description of exemplary, preferred embodiments thereof, takenin conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a somewhatschematic, vertically cross-sectional view of the scrap-metal compressoraccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the compressor set-up shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partly sectional view of a preparatory position with acompression casing, taken along lines 11IIII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertically cross-sectional view of an alternativecompression casing provided with wheels; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an actuating system for the ramsand cylinders of the scrap-metal compressor.

Referring to the drawings, a bed 1 is provided on a floor F, and astraight track 3, composed of two rails 2, is provided on said bed; therails preferably have an L- shaped cross-section. In the preferred,exemplary embodiment of the inventive scrap-metal compressor, asillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a substantially central compressingposition A is provided, flanked by, for example, two preparatorypositions identified as BL and BR, to denote the left-hand andright-hand positions, respectively.

At the compressing position A, a vertical framework 4 is installed forsupporting compressing means, substantially in the center of the track3, to be described later in more detail. As shown in FIG. 2, properdistances are observed between the compressing position A and the twopreparatory positions BL, B'R. At each of the latter, a compressioncasing is provided, identified respectively as 5L and SR, which can bemade to reciprocate between the assigned preparatory position and thecentral compressing position.

In their preferred, illustrated form, the casings 5L, 5R are cylindricaland open at their upper ends. At the lower ends of the casings,protruding square flanges 6 are attached, as shown in FIG. 2, so thateach casing may slide along the track 3, without rotation, by properfitting of the flanges 6 between the rails 2. In the following, othermeans and mechanisms attached to the casings 5L, 5R will be describedfor one of them only, since they are identical both in structure and infunction. A disk-like operational plate 7 is slidably inserted into eachcasing, and a bucket plate 9 is slidably mounted thereabove, with aplate-like concave surface 8 at its top.

An oil-pressure cylinder 10 is arranged as drive means for sliding eachcasing along the track; the cylinder 10 is held by a bracket 11 fixed tothe bed 1 slightly outwardly from each preparatory position. Eachcylinder 10 has a ram 12, the fore end of which is connected with therespective casing 5L, 5 R. For the sake of simplicity, only theright-hand oil-pressure drive means -12 has been illustrated in thedrawings. Depending upon which of the cylinders is actuated, compressioncasing 5L or casing 5R can be made to be displaced to under thecompressing means at position A. Appropriate control and safety meansmay be installed, if necessary, for selectively operating the rams 12,and/or for preventing one to be energized while the other is in itsadvanced position, as will be explained later with reference to FIG. 5.

At each preparatory position, an oil-pressure cylinder 13 is mounted forelevating the respective bucket plate 9, preferably disposed verticallyin a well underneath the bed 1. A push ram 14 of each cylinder 13 passesthrough a respective ram hole 15 of said bed 1, so that the rams 14 mayprotrude through said bed, or recede into the ill-ustrated position(FIG. 1), depending upon actuation of the cylinders 13.

When the casing 5L or SR is at the respective preparatory position, theplate 7 will be pushed up by the advancing ram 14, thereby elevating thebucket plate 9 to a position slightly protruding beyond the upper edgeof the casing (as shown in dot-dash lines for casing 5R in FIG. 1); whenthe ram 14 recedes, the plates 7 and 9 will be lowered again to thebottom of the casing.

Coming now to the compressing means installed at position A,conventional, known devices may be used for this purpose, such as onewhich carries out compression by means of a plate or presser elementthat is reciprocable by a drive mechanism. Alternatively, a fallinghammer or other known expedients may be provided to this end. In theillustrated, preferred embodiment, a plurality of spotpressure rams areused. Means for actuating the spotpressure rams constituting thecompressing means will also be described later with reference to FIG. 5.

An oil-pressure cylinder 16 is vertically mounted on the framework 4,and a number of small oil-pressure cylinders 19 are vertically mountedat substantially equal intervals from each other at the underside of adisk 18 secured horizontally to the lower end of a cylinder ram 17. Eachcylinder 19 has a respective spot-pressure ram 20 protruding from itslower end. The rams are guided along the framework. When a hydraulicfluid is sent into said cylinder 16, the lower ends of the rams 20 willall be lowered to a compressing position at the time the disk 18 and thecylinders 19 come down; the lower ends of the rams 20 will be brought toa position higher than the top edge of the compression casing, whenelevated (see center part of FIG. 1). On the other hand, when ahydraulic fluid is applied to any or all of the small cylinders 19, therespective pressure rams 20 will advance, and by doing so, each ram willapply a concentrated force to the materials (e.g. scrap lumps) containedin the casing underneath the particular ram 20. Thus, selectiveapplication of one or more of the rams 20 will allow localized butconcentrated pressure to be applied to the scrap.

The scrap lumps fed into the compression casings may include scraps of avariety of kinds and shapes, thickness, as well as size, and theirinterior will necessarily contain voids of variously different sizes.Such scrap lumps, while placed in the casings and suffering the spotcompression, will shift mutually and be mixed up, thereby filling up thevoids, so that uniformly compact scrap blocks will result whose specificgravity is large.

In the following, the operation of the inventive compressor will bedescribed as follows: The showing of FIG. 1 can be considered as thestarting point. First, scrap lumps are thown into casing 5R whereafterhydraulic fluid is applied to the respective (right-hand) cylinder 10-so as to shift casing SR to the compression position A, by means of ram12; the casing is identified there by numeral 5 alone.

Thereafter, by virtue of the cylinder 16, cylinders 19 and rams 20 willbe introduced into the casing, at which time the lower end of each ram20 will be in touch with the scrap lumps, or at least in a position tocompress them to some degree. Hereafter each ram 20- is made to protrudeby means of the respective cylinder 19 so as to apply spot compressionsto the scrap lumps thereunder.

In addition, fresh scrap lumps will be placed in the other casing 5Lstill located at the preparatory position BL, while the above-mentionedcompression is carried out (at position A). Subsequent to thecompressing process, the rams 20 are made to recede so as to clear thecasing 5 R which can then be returned to the preparatory position B-R byway of the appropriate drive means 1012.

For removing the scrap blocks formed in the casings, push ram 14 is madeto advance by energizing cylinder 13 so that the bucket plate 9 carryingthe compressed block is pushed up to a position slightly exposed beyondthe upper end of the casing. The blocks can now be gripped and lifted,and subsequently transported to a furnace by way of conventional means,such as a crane or the like.

After removal of the block, bucket plate 9 is lowered to its originalposition for receiving another batch of scrap lumps to be charged intothe respective casing.

In the meantime, when casing S R has been returned to position BR aftercompleting the compression at position A, as explained hereinabove, thecasing 5L, filled up in the meantime while at the position BL, is thenshifted to position A, so as to undergo the same treatment as casing 5Rin the previous operational phase. Thus, compression by way of the spotpressure rams 20 (and with the aid of the cylinder ram 17), will bealternately and successively carried out in casing 5L, 5R while shiftingthem alternately from their respective preparatory positions BL, BR tothe compressing position A at the center of the set-up.

While FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 all relate to the above-mentioned exemplaryembodiment, FIG. 4 shows an alternative compression casing 25 providedwith wheels 21. While the bed 1 and rails 22, as well as the bucketplate 9 inside the casing 25 have been shown substantially as before, asomewhat modified disk-like operational plate 27 has been shown.Frictional forces will be substantially reduced by this arrangement,thereby increasing the speed with which the casings can be reciprocated,and reducing the power requirement of the cylinders 10.

With reference to the schematic illustration of FIG. 5 it should benoted that the invention contemplates the provision of an actuatingsystem or mechanism generally designated by numeral 50, for the rams andcylinders of the compressor. In a conventionally known manner, the feedpipes lea-ding to the various oil-pressure or hydraulic cylinders areconnected in the system 50 to a source of hydraulic fluid, for examplean oil tank 52. A conven tional hydraulic pump 54 may convey the fluidto said feed pipes '(not numbered in FIGS. 1, 2 or 5) over appropriatevalves 56 and change-over switches 58. A pressurized fluid tank (notshown) may be provided on the discharge side of the pump 54 whichbranches off to the feed pipes by way of a single feed pipe 60, by theintermediary of the valves 56. The discharge pipes lead back to the tank52 either directly, as shown, or by way of the same valves (not shown).

Owing to this arrangement, each ram may be moved back and forth,synchronously or separately. Details of this operation were describedearlier.

The change-over valves 58 may be provided, in conjunction withcontrolling and supervisory devices (not shown), depending upon thedegree of automation desired when operating the scrap-metal compressoraccording to the invention.

Instead of the above-mentioned pressurized-water, oil or otherhydraulic-fluid system, other hydraulic or similar systems may be usedto the same effect. The cylinders and rams mentioned in thespecification should be considered with these possible mechanical andfunctional equivalents in mind.

It should be noted that one or more hydraulic pumps 54, compressors, orother sources of pressurized fluid may be provided in the actuatingsystem 50 in a conventional manner.

The foregoing disclosure relates only to preferred, exemplaryembodiments of the invention, which is intended to include all changesand modifications of the examples described, within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A scrap-metal compressor comprising, in combination, stationarycompressing means installed in an cle vated position at a substantiallycentral compressing position, at least two compression casings forreceiving materials to be compressed, positioned at respectivepreparatory positions spaced apart in a radial direction from saidcompressing position, said casings having an open top, including each alongitudinally slidable bucket plate for receiving the materials andbeing adapted to be individually moved to and from said substantiallycentral compressing position where the materials are compacted, theheight of said elevated compressing means being sufficient to allow saidcasings to be moved thereunder, track means interconnecting saidcompressing position with each preparatory position, and reciprocablepush ram means at each preparatory position for displacing therespective bucket plate from the bottom of the respective casing to saidopen top thereof.

2. The compressor as defined in claim 1, wherein said track meansincludes rails and said casings are fitted with rolling means adapted toroll along said rails.

3. The compressor as defined in claim 1, further comprising push rammeans for moving at least one of said casings from the respectivepreparatory position to said compressing position.

4. The compressor as defined in claim 1, wherein said compressing meansincludes at least one spot-pressure ram for applying a compressive forceto the materials when one casing is located underneath said compressingmeans at said compressing position.

5. The compressor as defined in claim 4, wherein said compressing meansfurther includes a substantially central ram for moving said at leastone spot-pressure ram toward and away from said one casing whenunderneath said compressing means.

6. The compressor as defined in claim 5, further comprising asubstantially vertical framework for supporting said compressing means,a disk member interposed between said central ram and said at least onespot-pressure ram, and means for guiding said at least one spot-pressureram along said framework.-

7. The compressor as defined in claim 6, further comprising oil-pressureactuating means for said central ram and said at least one spot-pressureram, allowing selective raising and lowering thereof independently fromeach other.

8. A scrap-metal compressor comprising, in combination, stationarycompressing means installed in an elevated position at a compressingposition, at least two compression casings for receiving materials to becompressed, normally positioned at respective preparatory positionsspaced apart from said compressing position, said casings having an opentop, including each a longitudinally slidable bucket plate for receivingthe materials and being adapted to be moved to and from said compressingposition where the materials are compacted, the height of said elevatedcompressing means being sufficient to allow said casing to be movedthereunder, track means interconnecting said compressing position witheach preparatony position, at least one preparatory position havingreciprocable push ram means for displacing the respective bucket platefrom the bottom of the respective casing to said open top thereof, andan operational plate interposed between said push ram means and saidbucket plate, the latter having a substantially concave top surface.

9. A scrap-metal compressor comprising, in combination, stationarycompressing means installed in an elevated position at a compressingposition, at least two compression casings for receiving materials to becompressed, normally positioned at respective preparatory positionsspaced apart from said compressing position, said casings being adaptedto be moved to and from said compressing position where the materialsare compacted, the height of said elevated compressing means beingsufficient to allow said casings to be moved thereunder, track meansinterconnecting said compressing position with each preparatoryposition, push ram means for moving at least one casing from therespective preparatory position to said compressing position, and bedmeans extending underneath said compressing position and saidpreparatory positions, said track means being secured to said bed means,and wherein said push ram means has a bracket fixed to said bed meansoutwardly from said respective preparatory position with respect to saidcompressing position.

10. A scrap-metal compressor comprising, in combination, stationarycompressing means installed in an elevated position at a compressingposition, at least two compression casings for receiving materials to becompressed, normally positioned at respective preparatory positionsspaced apart from said compressing position, said casings being adaptedto be moved to and from said compressing position where the materialsare compacted, the height of said elevated compressing means beingsufiicient to allow said casings to be moved thereunder, track meansinterconnecting said compressing position with each preparatoryposition, wherein said compressing means includes at least onespot-pressure ram for applying a compressive force to the materials whenone casing is located underneath said compressing means at saidcompressing position, said compressing means further including asubstantially central ram for moving said spot pressure rams toward andaway from said one casing when underneath said compressing means, asubstantially vertical framework for supporting said compressing means,a disk member interposed between said central ram and said spot-pressurerams, means for guiding said spot-pressure rams along said framework,hydraulic actuating means for said central ram and said spot pressurerams, allowing selective raising and lowering thereof independently fromeach other, means for elevating said bucket plates from the bottom ofsaid casings to said open top thereof, and means for moving said casingsfrom the respective preparatory positions to said compressing position,said actuating means also controlling said elevating means and saidmoving means in a selective manner.

11. The compressor as defined in claim 10, further comprising bed meansextending underneath said compressing means and said casings, havingopenings for protruding ram members of said elevating means, which arealigned with respective openings in said bottom of the casings whenmoved to said preparatory positions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,221,806 11/ 1940 Loomis.2,341,012 2/1944 Billman et a1. 2541 2,410,694 11/ 1946 Tyler 224 XR2,855,628 10/ 1958 Lassman.

FOREIGN PATENTS 156,431 11/1904 Germany.

590,266 12/1933 Germany.

BILLY J. WILHITE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

